Korean gaming powerhouse NCSOFT plans to purchase the Germany-based mobile gaming platform JustPlay for $202 million, aiming to enhance its casual game sector in the European market.
On Tuesday, the NCSOFT board endorsed the strategy to acquire a 70 percent ownership in JustPlay. The purchase will be finalized by the end of next month.
JustPlay was established in 2020 by ex-executives from the worldwide advertising tech company AppLovin. Based in Berlin, JustPlay runs mobile casual games on a rewards platform that distributes part of advertising revenue to users to enhance engagement and retention.
Players engage in casual games and view ads to collect loyalty coins, which can be exchanged for cash rewards in dollars. The worth of the coins fluctuates based on the quantity of ads viewed, advertising rates, duration of gameplay, and in-game accomplishments.
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JustPlay manages over 40 casual mobile games that it has created and released via its platform. The firm reported $172.8 million in revenue and $19.1 million in operating income in 2025. This year's revenue is anticipated to total $325 million, with an operating profit of $40 million.
With around 70 percent of its revenue originating from North America, NCSOFT stated that JustPlay will act as a vital platform in NCSOFT’s plan to create a worldwide mobile casual game ecosystem.
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NCSOFT has been promoting mobile casual games as a fresh source of growth in recent years. Last August, the company set up its Mobile Casual Center and named Anel Ceman, previously the vice president of monetization at Tripledot Studios in the U.K., as senior vice president for mobile casual games. It has also recently obtained multiple mobile casual studios both domestically and internationally, including Vietnam's Lihuhu and Korea's Springcomes.
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“Hana Securities analyst Lee Jun-ho stated that by acquiring JustPlay, the company has obtained adtech capabilities and is anticipated to swiftly integrate its casual gaming expertise and enhance profitability.” "Further M&A (mergers and acquisitions) focused on studios in the casual genre is anticipated in the latter half."